Tag Archives: big elk

Post navigation

This week on *FRIDAY FAVORITES* (said in my best game show host voice) I’m talking about my 5 favorite races on a budget! Running has been described as the most expensive “free” sport, ever. Non-runners don’t understand the need to sign up for a race, when in theory, all you need to do is throw on shoes and start running. While I respect this thought and love my training runs, I also have a deep appreciation for “the finish line”. Especially after working my butt off training.

These are my favorite races that don’t break the bank:

Big Elk Trail 1/2 Marathon: This race is only $45. I’ve run this race a few times and it’s quite technical. The medals are AMAZING and I was very pleased with the other “swag”. If you’re looking to increase your trail cred, this is definitely a race to try out!

Seneca Creek Trail Marathon/50k: This race is $25 for MCRRC Members and $35 for non-members, for both the 26.2 and the 50k distance. Yep, you read that right. You can run a 50k for less than the price of a tank of gas! This race is beautiful and quite technical. There are water obstacles (JUMP!) and plenty of inclines! Make sure you dress warm, as this race is the first week in March.

Western Maryland Rail Trail Marathon and Half Marathon: This race is $50 for the 1/2 and $65 for the full marathon distance. The Western Maryland Rail Trail is relatively flat and provides excellent views of the Potomac River. Taking place in the middle of April, the scenery is some of the best Maryland has to offer!

Cumberland C&O Towpath Marathon: This race is $50 for the half and $65 for the full. The entirety of this race is run on flat dirt and crushed stone on the C&O Canal Towpath. No need to worry about elevation here! The race is on a loop, so 3.28 miles out and back, until the desired distance is met.

PHUNT 50k: This race is the cheapest of the five (Assuming you don’t belong to MCRRC) at $25 for the 50k distance. PHUNT is a 2 loop race in the dead middle of January – its so cold! Also, because this race is so early in the year, the surroundings are a bit bleak. However, this race is AWESOME. The medal is excellent, and the swag is hard to beat.

Notice a trend here? All of these races that I classify as not breaking the bank are trail. I’ve spoken to a few race directors, and I know that trail races are less expensive to put on as opposed to road. I’ll always be a trail junky, so it helps when the races I prefer aren’t super pricey!